Slices of Life - Modern AU Thedas Valentines
He didnât go all out for every holiday. Some didnât have the same feel behind them, the same groove. Valentineâs Day was one where he put a little extra in, though -- in part because at first he hadnât thought his lover would expect it and now because he liked to keep the expectations high and the anticipation just on the edge of heart pounding and breathless. Heâd left a card tacked to the door for his lover to find when he made it home, a trail of flower petals starting in the foyer and leading up the stairs. The hall was dark save for the gently flickering glow of tiny LED candles that heâd left along the stairs, lighting the way for Ferion to follow.Â
The trail led to their bathroom where there was another card, its contents brief and naughty with a post-script that contained promises of more scandalously wicked to come.Â
Get cleaned up, get comfortable and come find the rest of your present whenever youâre ready. - Bull
Alongside the card atop a neatly folded towel was a fresh bar of Ferionâs favorite soap, a new container of the scrub he had mentioned enjoying the last time Bull had brought it home, a small, unopened bottle of lube and a plug, weighted nicely with a heart-shaped flare. It was easily enough to imagine what the rest of his âpresentâ might be from there.... The rest of the night was going to be good. Bull would make sure that heâd get it nice and hard to counter all of the soft. He always did, and each Valentines Day they spent together made it seem like he always would.
Rylen didnât do romance, at least that was what he always said. He had other ways of letting Cullen know that he loved him throughout the year and early on in their relationship theyâd come to terms with the fact that Valentineâs Day wasnât really for them. It meant that neither of them took issue with the fact that as part of his work rotations his travels typically had him out of town over that holiday; something that he was more than alright with as it meant he was back for the ones that meant more to them.Â
It didnât mean that he spent Valentines alone, however. Why waste a perfectly good night centered around fine dining, fine wine and lingerie alone when he could spend it in the company of MirandaâŚÂ
 Heâd promised to keep his eyes closed after dinner -- a dinner theyâd had delivered to his room rather than eating out this time, neither one of them of a mood to deal with the typical crowds drawn to high-end restaurants even if they could have worked a private dining room into their expenditure budget. Sheâd talked him into wearing a tie that night and he was painfully aware of its closeness, each draw of breath making him all the more aware of it along with the knowledge that he could hear her moving around, breath catching when he caught a trace of her perfume drifting closer.
 When he felt her fingers tug at the tie to loosen it he almost opened his eyes, knowing with the way she had to have leaned in he would have gotten a glorious eyeful of the tops of her breasts spilling over whatever she was wearing -- either the dress sheâd donned for dinner or whatever she had on beneath it. He closed them tighter, though, knowing she hadnât yet told him he could peek yet and the resulting laughter, sultry and sweet like honey was entirely worth it just like the rest of the night would beâŚÂ
The kitchen was filled with laughter, music lightly floating through the background. Her sides were starting to ache but it felt so good that she didnât care. Eli leaned back into Cullenâs arms, cheeks rosy and warm as she tipped her head to rest against his shoulder, peering up to him. She couldnât remember ever being with anyone whoâd made her feel this way before -- so light, so loved. It must have shown in her eyes as they met his because she only had a second to process the desire that shifted through his amber eyes before he was kissing her breathless.Â
With a soft gasp followed by a low moan she turned, slipping her arms around his neck. Before she knew it his hands were on her hips, lifting her to set her on the counter. He seemed to take a second to breathe, the briefest of pauses to make sure she was alright and that there was no trace of protest before he was kissing her again. If kissing Rylen was like drowning in desire, kissing Eli was like a rush of spring air, warm and gently demanding in the most wonderful of ways. He couldnât imagine his life without either of them, but he was so grateful for moments like this, that he could have moments like this.Â
Cullen drew back slowly, touching his nose to hers, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth only to lean back, smiling. His smile brought the light of the sun to his face, warm and just a bit sheepish. âThis isnât going to get the rest of dinner put away.âÂ
âSays the man who put me up here,â she laughed, closing her eyes in an attempt to find her breath, always amazed by how easily he could take it away. From the den she heard a woof which drew another soft, breathless laugh. âSee⌠Sari agrees with me.âÂ
âTraitorâŚâ He muttered beneath his breath, acting cross for the briefest of moments before kissing her again. Theyâd get back to the leftovers sooner or later⌠Probably laterâŚ
âWeâre going to miss our reservations.â Heâd made plans this year, just as he tried to make plans every year. For Garret Hawke plans were often things to be shuffled around or rescheduled, especially when they involved plans with Anders. The medic had gotten much better over the years, started taking better care of himself, dropped a few bad habits and picked up a handful of others that were less detrimental to their relationship. It wasnât always easy, but theyâd made things work after a fair amount of growth and work between them.Â
âWeâre not going to miss our reservations. Theyâre not for another hour and a half, Hawke -- thatâs more than enough time for me to finish getting dressed, make sure Liberty and Barkus have had their Valentineâs treats and be on our way.â His lips pursed together into a pout as he looked over to the other man after pulling his shirt down over his head, taking the time to smooth wrinkles that werenât there out of it. He loved Garret desperately and it had taken him more time than it should have to come to terms with that, even longer to come to terms with the idea that he could be loved that fiercely in return. Spending a day with him meant everything⌠Spending this day with him meant more.Â
âWe are going to miss our reservations if you keep looking at me like that while looking like that, though.â Hawke grinned as he stepped up, slipping an arm around Andersâ middle as he planted a kiss on the corner of the other manâs mouth. âCheck your hair once or twice more, like I know youâre going to do, grab that necklace youâve changed your mind on twice⌠This shirt is fine. It was fine the last time you put it on before you tried something else and it will go well with that coat that you love that you swear doesnât match the jeans you have on, but it does. Iâll feed your cat and Barkus and then weâll be on our way. Dinner and a movie. Normal Valentines. Promise.âÂ
âNormal?â His heart swelled as he looked at Hawke, reaching up to rest a hand alongside the other manâs face. He leaned in to brush a soft kiss to the other manâs lips, his expression radiating all of the love and affection he had found a hard time giving voice to for so long. âNothing about being with you is normal, Hawke⌠And thatâs part of what I love about it. About you. About us...â
He approached the tub with two glasses of wine, holding one out to his lover and waiting for him to take it before reaching down to trail his fingers through the water. It was warm enough that it would feel wonderful, the steam already reminding him that Rynâs next business trip would take them somewhere away from the snow that had fallen outside. Theyâd stayed in that night, not wanting to get caught out if it came back with a vengeance -- an excuse on his part, really. In truth, heâd just wanted Ryn to himself.Â
 He set his glass down on the edge of the tub as he stepped up and into the water, seeming entirely satisfied as he sank down into it opposite the other man. He nudged his loverâs hip with his foot as he leaned back, retrieving his glass to take a sip. âThis? This is the life, amatus. Warm, comfortable, quiet dinner at home, wine⌠You.â His smile was warm, eyes only for the man sitting across from him. Heâd known that Ryn was the type of man he could easily find himself falling for almost from the start but he hadnât expected them to be so good together, so good for each other.Â
He took another sip of his wine, easing back again and closing his eyes. It was a moment before he heard the soft clink of a glass being set down across from him, the shift of water moving around him as Ryn leaned forward, kneeling between his knees. He opened his eyes in time to see the other man leaning in, following his loverâs movement as he plucked the glass from his fingers and set it down as well. When he felt Rynâs lips press against his he pressed back, fingers sliding into the other manâs hair to draw him down closer. Ryn was the best part of this, the best part of everything. Ryn made their house home, made wherever they went when he traveled somewhere that he wanted to be.Â
Dorian often thought that Ryn was a better man than him, had thought at first that Ryn might be too good for him -- too good to be true. Theyâd unearthed flaws, grown and evolved and now they were so good together. Their romance was the kind meant for lifetimes, not just for a single day, and he intended to make sure that Ryn knew that in every way. Â
âTethras Investigations.â Heâd kicked back in his chair, heels on the corner of his desk, the pages for the novel heâd been working on tucked into folders on the opposite side. He had a deadline to meet, but deadlines could wait. Deadlines meant little when it came to spending Valentines with the light of his life, especially when it came to having the opportunity to dress up while doing so.Â
He reached up to tip his at up just enough that he could get a good look at her as she came in the door. For a second he lost character -- more than a second, honestly. It was going to take a beat or two for him to pick his jaw up off of the floor. âShit, Gadget, you didnât tell me you were going that far out. If Iâdâve known I wouldâve done more than just put together some things from my closetâŚâ He caught himself as she clicked her tongue to chastise him, clearing his throat in an attempt to find his character again. âWhat can I do for you, doll?â
His eyes followed her as she sashayed towards his desk, the glamor of the vintage fashion suiting her far better than he would have expected. He didnât know why he hadnât expected that, really, given how good she looked in just about everything she put on. If the Renaissance Festival had been any proof of that, wellâŚÂ
âIâve heard youâre good at what you do, possibly the best.â She made her way around to his desk, nudging his feet down off of the corner so she could take a seat on the edge of it. Grinning, Lani leaned back on one hand, resting a foot on the chair between his thighs. âTell me, Mr Tethras⌠Are you the best?âÂ
She was going to be the death of him, the absolute utter death of him. He cracked again, for a shorter spell this time, recovering by holding her gaze as he rested his hand on her calf as he leaned in to brush his lips to her knee. âThat all depends, maâam, on what youâve heard Iâm the best at⌠Why donât you let me know and weâll go from there? All Iâll say up front is that I never leave a job unfinished or a dame unsatisfied.â That was enough to trip her up, his knack for witty dialogue and bad one-liners finally coming through. The resulting laughter was well worth it.Â
Shit, everything with her was worth it. Sheâd done so much for him in the time theyâd known one another, drawing him out of a bottle he hadnât known heâd been hiding him and introducing him to some of the most beautiful parts of life. Whatever heâd done, however heâd managed to get this lucky, Varric knew heâd never be able to top convincing Lanira to be his wife.Â
